Supporting local businesses, parks, events, and the unique character that makes Fairfax City home

A vibrant community is one where people want to spend time, put down roots, and take pride in where they live. Fairfax City has a strong sense of place—from Old Town and Main Street to our neighborhood parks, community events, locally owned businesses, and the people who make this city feel like home. We should build on those strengths while making sure our community remains welcoming, active, and economically healthy.

I will work to support local businesses and strengthen our commercial districts by making it easier to open, operate, and grow a business in Fairfax City. A healthy local economy provides jobs, generates revenue, and creates the gathering places that give our community its character.

Our parks, trails, public spaces, and community facilities are equally important. We should invest wisely in maintaining and improving these shared spaces so residents of all ages have places to walk, play, exercise, gather, and enjoy nature.

I also want to encourage community events and activities that bring residents together and create opportunities for people to connect. Festivals, concerts, farmers markets, cultural events, and neighborhood activities contribute to the energy and identity of our city.

Most importantly, we should preserve the character that makes Fairfax City distinctive. Growth and change are inevitable, but they should be thoughtful and intentional. We can welcome new residents, businesses, and ideas while protecting the small-town feel, historic character, green spaces, and sense of community that make Fairfax City a special place to call home.

A vibrant Fairfax City is one where businesses can thrive, public spaces are cared for, neighbors have opportunities to connect, and growth strengthens—not diminishes—the community we love.

Prioritizing public safety, smart infrastructure, and walkable, bikeable neighborhoods.

A strong community is one where people feel safe, welcome, and connected to one another. A sense of security means being able to go about our daily lives with confidence—whether we are at home, walking through a neighborhood or park, riding the bus, shopping at a local business, or enjoying an evening downtown. We all want to live in a city where families, seniors, young people, and businesses can thrive without having to worry about vandalism, property crime, or personal safety.

Public safety begins with a well-trained, well-supported police department that has the resources and personnel needed to serve our community effectively. Like police departments across the country, Fairfax City faces the challenge of recruiting and retaining experienced officers. Maintaining a strong department requires more than simply filling vacancies. We need to attract talented public servants who are committed to Fairfax and want to build lasting relationships with the people they serve.

Fairfax City has an opportunity to make community-focused policing a defining strength of our department. That means building trust through visibility, communication, and positive interactions between officers and residents. It means encouraging officers to know the neighborhoods they patrol, work with residents and businesses to identify concerns, and address problems before they become more serious.

I will support efforts to recruit and retain high-quality officers, invest in training and professional development, and provide the tools and resources they need to do their jobs well. I also believe accountability and community trust go hand in hand. Residents should know that their concerns will be heard, their calls will be taken seriously, and their police department will be responsive and transparent.

Safety is also about the broader community. Well-maintained parks, sidewalks, streets, lighting, and public spaces contribute to a sense of security and encourage people to be out and connected with their neighbors. We should work across City departments, with local businesses, schools, community organizations, and regional partners to address issues that affect quality of life.

My goal is a Fairfax City where people feel safe not only because we have an effective police department, but because we have a community that looks out for one another. Safety and connection reinforce each other—and both are essential to preserving the quality of life that makes Fairfax City such a special place to call home.

Managing growth thoughtfully to protect our neighborhoods, strengthen our economy, and build a sustainable future.

One of the biggest challenges facing Fairfax City is managing population and economic growth while preserving the natural resources, neighborhood character, and quality of life that make our community special. As a small, 6.4-square-mile, built-out independent city, we have limited land and must be thoughtful about how and where we accommodate change.

I believe growth should be deliberate, community-informed, and appropriately scaled—not pursued simply for the sake of growth. We need to consider not only what can be built, but whether new development fits our neighborhoods and whether our infrastructure, roads, schools, public safety, city services, and finances can support it.

I will encourage meaningful public discussion about the pace, scale, and cumulative impact of growth. That means holding town halls and neighborhood meetings where residents, businesses, and Council members can openly discuss how much and how quickly our city should grow. These conversations should happen before major decisions are made, not after plans are already in place. We should also carefully consider the effects of development on traffic, infrastructure, city services, the environment, and the property taxes, business taxes, and fees that support city government.

Responsible growth also means maintaining a strong and vibrant local economy. I want to hear directly from our business community about what Fairfax City can do to attract and retain locally owned businesses, support existing employers, and help them attract the talented workforce they need to succeed.

Our goal should be a Fairfax City that welcomes thoughtful investment and new opportunities while protecting the character, livability, and long-term financial and environmental health of our community.

Listening to residents, communicating openly, and making decisions that reflect our shared values.

Too often, City of Fairfax government decisions can seem to be made before the public is fully aware of what is being considered. By the time residents learn about a proposal, there may be little opportunity to meaningfully influence the outcome. When residents express frustration, they are sometimes told they should have been paying closer attention. That approach shifts responsibility from the decision-making process to the people who are simply trying to stay informed.

Good government should not require residents to be experts in City Hall. Residents should not have to search through agendas, meeting notices, staff reports, and multiple websites to discover decisions that may affect their neighborhoods, businesses, or daily lives.

I believe City government should engage residents early, clearly, and consistently—not simply after decisions have effectively been made. Information should be easy to find, written in plain language, and communicated through multiple channels. The City should proactively identify neighborhoods, businesses, community organizations, and other groups that may be affected by a proposal and make a genuine effort to hear from them before important decisions are made.

Public outreach should be more than a legal requirement or a box to check. It should be an opportunity to listen, answer questions, explain the reasoning behind proposals, and understand concerns that may not be apparent from a staff report. When significant changes are being considered, residents deserve timely notice, meaningful opportunities to participate, and clear explanations of what is being proposed and why.

Collaboration also means being willing to change course. Public input should not be sought merely to validate a decision that has already been made. When residents raise legitimate concerns or offer better ideas, City government should be willing to consider them and, when appropriate, modify its approach.

My goal is a City government that works with residents rather than simply informing them after the fact—one that listens before deciding, communicates throughout the process, and treats public participation as an essential part of good decision-making.

Helping small businesses flourish, attracting new enterprises, and creating opportunities that grow our local economy.

A strong local economy is essential to Fairfax City’s long-term vitality. Our small businesses, restaurants, professional services, and other local enterprises provide jobs, contribute to our tax base, and give our community much of its unique character. We should make it easier—not harder—for businesses to succeed, while ensuring that economic development complements the neighborhoods and community we value.

I will support a business-friendly, predictable, and responsive city government that works with local businesses to identify obstacles and find practical solutions. That means streamlining processes where possible, improving communication with business owners, and making sure our regulations are clear and consistently applied.

We should also look for opportunities to attract new businesses and investment that fit Fairfax City—particularly enterprises that bring needed services, create quality jobs, strengthen our commercial districts, and encourage people to shop, dine, and spend time locally. Economic development should be intentional and focused on strengthening the City as a whole, not simply pursuing growth for growth’s sake.

At the same time, we need to recognize the realities of being a small, built-out city competing with surrounding jurisdictions for businesses and investment. We should make strategic use of our limited commercial space, support the revitalization of existing properties, and encourage development that adds value without sacrificing the character, livability, and sense of place that make Fairfax City attractive.

A healthy economy and a strong community go hand in hand. My goal is an economic environment where existing businesses can thrive, new enterprises have a reason to choose Fairfax City, and residents have more opportunities to work, shop, dine, and invest close to home.

Protecting our forests, parks, and other green spaces now and for future generations.

We owe it to future generations to be good stewards of the natural resources that make Fairfax City a special place to live. I am committed to protecting our remaining forests, keeping our streams clean, reclaiming land where unnecessary pavement can be removed, and expanding trees and native habitats throughout the city. Environmental stewardship should be practical, thoughtful, and focused on protecting the quality of life we value today while preserving it for tomorrow.

We can make our streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists without sacrificing the natural spaces that define our community. I support expanding safe walking and biking connections and making alternative transportation a practical choice for those who want options beyond the private automobile. Fewer cars on the road can benefit everyone, but achieving that goal requires thoughtful planning to ensure that pedestrians, bicyclists, buses, and motorists can safely share our streets. Transportation projects should be appropriately scaled, environmentally responsible, and designed with the needs of surrounding neighborhoods in mind.

I am also committed to reducing noise pollution in our community. Excessive noise affects our ability to enjoy our homes and neighborhoods and can have real impacts on health and well-being. Virginia law gives localities the authority to adopt measures to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of their residents, including through noise ordinances. I support a thoughtful transition away from gas-powered leaf blowers by limiting their hours of operation, restricting their use on Sundays and federal holidays, and offering rebates or other incentives for electric leaf blowers and cleaner lawn equipment. These steps would give residents and landscaping companies practical alternatives while gradually reducing noise and pollution.

Gas-powered leaf blowers are particularly problematic because their impacts extend well beyond the person operating them. Their high-decibel, low-frequency noise can disturb sleep, concentration, work, and children’s learning and can contribute to stress and other health concerns. Their inefficient two-stroke engines also produce significant air pollution, including fine particulate matter and harmful pollutants. By contrast, modern electric equipment can provide comparable performance for many residential and commercial applications while producing far less noise and no direct tailpipe emissions.

Protecting our environment does not require choosing between a healthy community and a thriving city. With thoughtful planning and practical solutions, we can protect our natural resources, reduce pollution and noise, expand transportation choices, and preserve the character and quality of life that make Fairfax City a great place to call home.

Ensuring our schools are healthy, safe, and challenging places for students to grow and to realize their potential.

Our schools are one of the greatest assets of our community. Excellent schools help attract and retain families, strengthen neighborhoods, and give every child the opportunity to succeed. While Fairfax City does not control the public school system, the City has an important role to play in supporting strong schools and working collaboratively with Fairfax County Public Schools and the broader community.

I will support efforts to ensure our schools provide safe, healthy, and welcoming learning environments, with well-maintained facilities and the resources students and teachers need to succeed. We should encourage strong academic programs, opportunities for arts and athletics, career and technical education, and other programs that help students discover their interests and prepare for their futures.

Just as importantly, we need to recognize that students and families have different needs. We should support efforts to identify and address barriers to learning and ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their potential. The City should also work closely with schools on issues that affect students beyond the classroom—including safe routes to school, traffic and pedestrian safety, transportation, parks and recreation, and access to community resources. Strong partnerships between City government, schools, parents, teachers, and community organizations can make Fairfax an even better place for children and families.

Excellent schools benefit everyone. They help create a strong community today while investing in the future of Fairfax City.